Frank
If there is one species of snake I would call my favorite, it is Elaphe schrencki otherwise known as the Russian rat snake or Amur rat snake.
This species is a species that I would actually call a Pet… They seem to adore interacting with anything be it people, other snakes or their surroundings. A truly lovely snake that I would recommend to anyone who has experience with rat snakes… well, more specifically with rat snakes that need to brumate.
It worries me when people buy snakes without first researching their needs. These are very handsome snakes as adults and would be a very tempting purchase at a reptile show or in a pet shop, especially when it becomes to apparent as to how people friendly they are. But come the end of Autumn and the beginning of winter, I invariably get messages saying “My russian rat snake has stopped eating, what do I do ?”. Before this species is taken on as a pet, the keeper needs to be aware of and able to provide for it’s need to brumate. This means having an area that has a temperature of no less than 40F-45F and no higher than 50F-55F and it must stay that temperature for 3 months or even 4 months for some individuals ( snakes not keepers ).
This is a lovely, lovely animal. But if you cannot provide for their brumation… look for something that does not require it.